Water Service Line Inventory Project

Project Overview
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, including a Lead Water Service Line Inventory requirement. This rule requires public water systems, like the City of Shelton, to inventory all water service lines and the materials they're made of from the main to the meter (public side) and from the meter to the building (private side).

City of Shelton Water Service Line

Customer Survey
We need your help to determine the material of your service line. We are conducting a Customer Survey for customers to self-report their service line material.

You can complete and return the Customer Survey:
  • By Mail: Completed surveys can be sent by mail to the Shelton Civic Center, located at 525 West Cota Street
  • Online: Surveys can be completed online at https://arcg.is/Gf4LT0
Survey Help
For assistance completing the Customer Survey, please contact Danielle Dedmon, Public Works Administrative Support Assistant, by phone at 360-432-5131 or by email at danielle.dedmon@sheltonwa.gov.

Try the New Interactive Map Tool
Do you have questions about your address? Use this interactive map to search an address in Shelton city limits and see the Lead Service Line Survey results. 


How to Determine Your Pipe Material

1) Determine when your home was built and write it down in the survey. 
Homes built before 1986 might have lead plumbing. You can search the County Assessor's office records to look at your property records to determine the year your home was built.

2) Locate where your water pipe enters your building.
The incoming water service in your home may come up from the basement floor or out of a wall in the basement. If you have a crawlspace, the service line will likely come through the foundation wall. If your house is on a slab, it will come up through the main floor, typically in a utility closet or garage.

3) Do a scratch test on the water pipe you have identified.
  • Use a key or coin to scratch the pipe near where it enters the house through the wall or floor.
  • If the pipe is painted, gently sand or scrape the paint away first to expose the metal.
  • What color is the pipe underneath?
    • If it is shiny and orange like a penny, you do not have a lead service line in your home.
    • If the pipe is grey, you may have a lead service line.
  • Take a photo of the piping after completion of the scratch test.
4) Do a magnet test.
  • Hold a magnet to your pipe. 
    • If a magnet will stick, you have a steel service line.
    • You may also have plastic pipe which may be red, blue, black, or white. The magnet will not stick.
    • If a magnet won't stick and isn't obviously plastic, you may have a lead service line.
5) Use the chart below to determine the material:
Water line material graphic
6) Determine if you have a lead line.
If the pipe reveals a dull, silver-gray color when scratched, and it is not magnetic, the pipe is likely made of lead.

7) If you are unable to use the above methods to determine the pipe material, here are some alternatives:
  • Purchase an EPA-recognized lead swab kit online or at a home improvement store. These kits test the pipe material, not the water inside the pipes. Provide pictures of the plumbing line tested and color change results to your water provider (the City of Shelton).
  • Ask a licensed plumber to inspect your pipes and determine the material type. Provide a copy of the inspection report to your water provider (the City of Shelton).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are water service lines? What materials could you have on your property?
A water service line is a pipe that carries water underground from a water main or well into a building. Water service lines can be made of a variety of materials, such as copper, plastic, galvanized metal, or lead. The service line could also be a mix of several types, especially if repairs have been made to the line at different times in the building's history.

Who owns the water service lines?
The water utility (in this case, the City of Shelton) owns the public pipes that lead up to what the property title determines is a private water line. This is usually at the property line or the connection at the individual water meter. 

The image below indicates what your water service line might look like and the points you may visually inspect to determine the materials of the water pipe.

COS Water Service Lines